Chapter 33

All the blood, sweat and tears.

It has all paid off.

Tempest has trained his hardest for the past few months, in mere days, he will be going up against Raiden. But first, he has to speak with Oni.

He went alone, back to the sumo stables. When Tempest walked in, everyone who was training came to a very sudden stop. He was stunned as the sumo wrestlers all bowed their heads to him. It's never happened before! "Please, raise your heads, I am not anyone important" he insisted.

"Tempest?!"

He smiled as he saw Oni appear from the back of the room. His smile grew as he approached and yet, his eyes continued to widened. "My God boy. You got big!"

"I have upped my eating habits…" Tempest said with a smile. He didn't grow out that much since his last growth spurt. However he has felt himself become sturdier and stronger from eating the monsters when he was serpent. Because of that, his weight grew. He didn't look it, but he was now over 900 pounds! "Master, I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time?"

"Of course!" he said with glee. "Everyone, back to training!"

The students all went to work, however, something was amiss. "Ryo is gone?" he asked.

Oni paused as he sighed aloud. "Yes, and he took his three friends along with him. Claiming we were holding him back and he found a new stable to join. I found the flyer just a short while ago, and called up some friends. I never heard of this stable, nor have they!"

"Strange for one to come up out of nowhere, isn't it?"

"Especially one that isn't backed by a former Yokozuna or someone within the top three brackets!"

Tempest could hear the concern in the voice of Oni. But didn't know how to help. "Be that as it may, they made the choice to go, I didn't force them to stay. Honestly. The dojo has become much more productive, we have new students who are no longer afraid to show what they can do, nor are they being repressed. I suppose some good came out of this…"

Tempest nodded. "Master, I came here to ask if there is anything I need to do to prepare for Raiden? I have been training for months with my father and brothers…"

Oni froze. "Brothers?" he asked.

"Yes, Garou's oldest sons…"

"Wait, wait, wait… you have been training with them?! This whole time?"

Tempest nodded. "Father had me face all five at once. I wasn't permitted to fight back for the first few weeks. It was to ensure I could take a hit and stay on my feet and in the ring. When I was permitted to fight back, it made me focus on my foot work, as well as be aware of my surroundings within the ring…"

"I am not complaining about your methods, I am stunned you are still standing!" Oni said aloud. "Boy, I have seen Garou's family up close and in battle. I don't envy anyone who goes up against them! But you, you were trained by them for four months!?" he then smiled. "Raiden has no idea does he?"

"No, which is why I ask of you. What do I need to do to prepare?"

Oni merely smiled as his hand went on to his shoulder. "You are ready. But, one thing I will tell you. He is superstitious!"

"Superstitious?" Tempest asked.

He nodded. "For example, the drinking of the water. Traditionally, you can only be given a drink by a fellow sumo wrestler who hasn't lost their match. Knowing Raiden, he is gonna pull a few strings and get the current Yokozuna from the Super Sumo league to give him his drink when he faces you…"

"But, we're only going to be fighting for twenty minutes, if that," Tempest said.

There came a look on Oni's face. Once he didn't quite know what to make of. It was stern and yet at the same time, a look of warning. "Don't believe everything that is agreed upon. I can sense this match will go beyond 20 minutes. Knowing you as well, you'll last beyond that. If I were to guess, it would end as a stalemate… but Raiden isn't one to disappoint fans to say the least." He paused for a moment as a solemn look came over his face. "Tempest… can you last longer than twenty minutes against Raiden?"

He had to think it over for a moment. After all, it was just a few days away. He has been sparring non-stop with Akira and has won a few times against him. "I would like to think so." He said.

Oni smiled. "Then one final piece of advice. You may want to play a little mind game with him. When it comes time for a drink, do you know someone who has never lost a fight?" he asked.

Tempest grinned. "I think I have someone in mind."

#

At the Association.

She hasn't been able to speak to him.

Eclipsa has wondered the halls aimlessly, trying to think over what has happened. Ever since she has become bound to Jason, things haven't gone smoothly to say the least. When he woke up from what happened, he panicked since she was nearly taken into his body. When he settled down and was able to free her. The two fell dead silent to each other. She had never seen such a scared look on his face before. In fact, the moment she was free. Jason ran like hell out the door!

It has been a while since it all happened. Months in fact, and she has yet to see him at the Association.

"I scared him off, didn't I?" she asked herself. Eclipsa sighed aloud to it all. Things have never gone right between her and Jason. Ever since they started to date, it has fallen into chaos to say the least.

But she still wonders why she continued to want a relationship with him?

After the harsh things he said, the resentment he still has towards her for what happened. Now, this… none of this has been his choice, none of it. Why would he want to be with her when everything appears to fall apart at a moment's notice?

She has been contending with it ever since. Unable to process what happened, unsure if this is what should have happened.

A moment of pause came over her when she sense this powerful energy coming from a spar room. For a moment, she assumed it was Luna or Akira training, yet as she walked by. Eclipsa froze.

There was Jason, powering himself up. Familiar surges came off his body as he stood armed with four swords. Yet his skin was turning blue!

"Jason…" she whispered.

Next thing she knew, his arms were taken clean off! He showed no sign of pain or anything! Slowly he was hacked down, she gasped at the sight until, he surged again. His body became electrified and then came back together instantly! "Wait… isn't that Boros's ability?" she whispered.

He collapsed shortly after, gasping for air. Eclipsa hid herself as she saw someone approach him. It was Flash!

The two spoke for a moment. Jason only nodded but appeared disappointed. She hid herself a little more as the two came out. "Your healing rate grew. Normally it took you two minutes to pull yourself together, now, it's seconds. This surging power you possess is not something I have seen before." Flash decreed.

"As soon as I can control it, I am sure the real lessons can start." Jason replied respectfully. "Thank you for your assistance,"

Flash merely nodded. "We have a long way to go, but you learn fast."

He sighed. "I got to get stronger. I just became Garou's son in law, and I have to show I can protect Eclipsa and anyone in that family, after all, I am part of it now."

Flash nodded. "Any regrets?"

Eclipsa held her breath as a pause came over him. "I just wished we were able to have done this more slowly… I feel like Eclipsa got pushed into it as much as I did."

"Speaking of her…" Flash turned and caught her red handed!

Jason too turned and smirked as she tried to hide herself more. "You can't hide from me, remember?" he laughed.

She came out from her spot, but appeared rather embarrassed about it. "Sorry… I just haven't seen you in a while and thought that perhaps… you were upset with me again…" she said offhandedly.

Jason paused. "Shit, I made you feel like that?"

"I get it though! Don't get me wrong, I understand why you would…"

"Eclipsa… I don't!" he protested. She froze as he announced that, he got a little embarrassed and was scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I just… I just wanted to be sure I am strong enough to protect you. I mean… I got a lot to learn about this… form I have. I know there is a lot to learn and understand, like these surges that come off my body and turn my skin a light blue…"

"First time that happened, I thought he was suffocating," Flash confessed.

"That's Boros's power,"

"Boros?" both men questioned.

"Who or what is Boros?" asked Flash.

Eclipsa gave him the full story. It was the first time she has seen the former S Class hero appeared startled. "Your sister… raised its clone!?"

"Yeah, Luna, Akira and I have his power too. Only Luna can achieve the third phase of his power though. I can go into the second phase. From what I saw with Jason, he has just tapped into it."

"Well… first time I did, I sort of exploded…"

She froze. "Exploded?"

"Like a gory balloon," said Flash. "I lost a good suit, but yes, he blew up with power. He has since tried to control it. Today, that was his best attempt yet, he didn't blow up."

"Oh God…"

"It doesn't hurt… much,"

"That's not the point! Perhaps you and I ought to do some training together too…"

"Really? I would like that"

She began to blush, it was like asking him out all over again. "Perhaps you ought to replenish yourself first. No doubt all the damage you withstood would make your body weak." Said Flash. "Until next time…"

Just as his name suggested it, he was gone in the blink of an eye.

Jason turned to Eclipsa. He smirked a little. "You were worried about me leaving you again huh?"

"It's just… Nothing has gone right!" she protested. "None of this has ever been your choice!"

He nodded to the fact, but he wasn't upset like he normally is. "It's true, but it's also okay. I am learning to just go with it, after all. I sat in my room last time, it didn't make me feel better or change the outcome. It just made me a miserable bastard."

"And how…" she muttered.

"Anyway. I got a lot to learn and I will learn it, it will take me time. But I will be worth to stand among you and your family…"

"Power doesn't matter! Jason, I would have wanted to marry you if you were human still!" she protested.

He smiled warmly to her. "I know, but now we are more a like than before. As I said, I want to be strong enough to be able to protect you." He stated. Then his stomach rumbled. "Damn, I better eat something…"

"Well, let's go have lunch,"

He smiled and nodded. Eclipsa slipped her hand into his and held it all the way to the cafeteria.